Young, Alone and on the Run

Young asylum seekers are disappearing off the Swedish authorities' radar in bigger and bigger numbers. Especially those who arrived here alone.

An investigation by Swedish radio news shows that 62 youths seeking refugee status have gone underground this year - almost as many as disappeared during the whole of last year.

Since 2006 almost 280 young asylum seekers who arrived alone have gone underground. Monica Brendler Lindqvist at the Red Cross says that they are mostly very scared after having their application turned down by the Migration Board, and that they probably support themselves with illegal work